dynasty
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English, Charles had managed to get 20 galleys into the Channel in support of the French in campaigns in Chatereaux and Nantes. But severe weather and the English fleet eventually depleted his forces. Not to be outdone, Charles re-provisioned and put another fleet of 32 ships and 7,000 men together to confront the English naval forces and reinforce the French. But the reinforcements were too late to stop the English invasion of France across the Channel and this set the stage
Charles I for one of the strategic defeats in the power struggle with the English. A crushing defeat was suffered by the French at Crécy, where Charles I also fell victim. Crécy, 26 August 1346: a date to remember and a battle that went down in history. Charles I was on the front lines with the French, along with Anthony Doria leading the Genoese. Charles’ forces were exhausted from marching. Worse, and a deciding factor in the battle, the crossbowmen’ s strings were wet, degrading the reach of their arrows which fell short of the English lines. Meanwhile, the English had kept their strings dry and the arrows of their longbow-men rang true, decimating the French ranks. Angered and desperate, the French King ordered his cavalry to charge, running over the Genoese infantry in the process. The English longbow-men mowed down the French cavalry with their arrows and wounding Charles in the process. The French forces were decimated and what remained fled, leaving Charles I for dead on the battlefield.
Against all odds, Charles’ tough physical constitution meant he did in fact survive. It was a blessing for Monaco as he spent the rest of his reign consolidating the expansions of Monaco’ s territory that he had negotiated with the Spinolas and the Lord of Provence. These included Menton and Roquebrune purchased from Nicholas Spinola; and Eze and Castillon purchased from the Lord of Provence. It is rumoured that Charles I bought Menton and Roquebrune with gold from the Southampton raid. These new additions remained in Monaco’ s expanded territory for more than 500 years, until 1861. Monaco had all she needed for her livelihood: ovens, mills, and an arsenal.
As for the succession that Charles I planned— a joint rule by two of his sons Gabriel and Rainier II together with his uncle was put in place after he died on 15 August 1357. But the new Genoese doge, Simone Boccanegra, elected by the popular party, laid siege to the fortress of the Rock once again and took control. However, it returned to Grimaldi rule in the 1417 – 1419 period.
Charles I of Monaco had eight children, following his marriage to Lucchina Spinola, daughter of Lord Girardo Spinola of Dertonne, including Gabriel, Rainier and Louis. Eventually Louis would succeed his brothers. The Grimaldi dynasty would continue to rule Monaco with an expanded territory thanks to Charles I.
This was an important historical moment as it was documented for the first time, in response to the Pope’ s attempted intervention, that Monaco was independent and not under any other state’ s jurisdiction
It is rumoured that Charles I bought Menton and Roquebrune with gold from the Southampton raid.
© w-dog. net
Charles I almost did not survive the English victory in the battle of Crécy— left for dead but narrowly escaped
112 / Hello Monaco Spring – Summer 2018